1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to novel sintered refractory products exhibiting enhanced thermal shock resistance.
2. Description of the Related Art
Among refractory products, fused-cast products and sintered products may be distinguished.
Contrary to sintered products, fused-cast products most often have an intergranular glassy phase linking the crystallized grains. The problems posed by sintered products and fused-cast products and the technical solutions for solving them are thus generally different. A mixture developed for manufacturing a fused-cast product therefore is not a priori usable as such for manufacturing a sintered product and vice versa.
Sintered products, depending on their chemical composition and mode of preparation, are intended to be used in a wide variety of industrial applications.
Examples of sintered products include, in particular, alumina-zirconia-silica products, usually referred to as AZS, as well as so-called aluminous products, which are used, in particular, in certain regions of glassmaking furnaces.
Products such are those described in patent FR 2 552 756 in the name of Emhart Industries are generally appropriate for such an application. Products such as BPAL, ZA33 or ZIRAL, which are manufactured and marketed by Saint-Gobain SefPro are also particularly well suited and presently widely used in certain regions of glassmaking furnaces.
Also known from EP 0 404 610 are refractory mixtures containing monoclinic zirconia, from which products exhibiting outstanding thermal shock resistance can be obtained.
However, glass or energy producing industries need refractory products exhibiting ever greater levels of performance.